Three In The Morning
by InnerShadow
Summary: In which Light takes his anger out on a very undeserving piece of cake, a chain brings two people together, and L loses a bet...and likes it. Drabbles on everything and anything, rating subject to change, requests and blatant plugging accepted.
1. Early

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Attack of the killer plot bunny! *cowers* But anyway, this is my first DN drabble, so tell me what you think.

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Light woke with a start, wincing as his head hit the floor.

"Ryuuzaki, what the hell?" he grumbled, rubbing the back of his head sleepily.

"I merely wanted some cake, Light-kun."

"But it's three in the morning! What could you possibly want with cake at _three in the morning_?!"

"I was hungry."

Light glared at the detective, the innocent smile on the man's face driving him insane. With a triumphant smile, he knocked the cake out of L's hand.

"Up by three percent, Light-kun."

It was going to be a long night.

_Should I continue? Do you like it? Reviews are love._


	2. Accidental

_I'm back again! Not too happy with this one for some reason - drabbles are not my forte. Written quickly, and with little revision, so forgive any errors. Oh, and thank you to my two lovely reviewers - you guys are amazing!_

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The first time they kissed - that sweet, sudden meeting of lips - was by complete accident.

The two had been fighting, as per usual, over what would be considered an 'acceptable' time for bed. Light had argued that one am was fair, overly compensating even, but L stood firm in his resolve - work should continue until three in the morning at _least_.

So, of course, Light had had no other option but to punch him. And L, childish as ever, had hit him back.

Being the two geniuses they were, neither accounted for the chain binding them together. As Light flew across the room, L flew with him, landing sprawled over his chest in a heap, mouths connected.

Two pairs of surprised eyes met, and two straining bodies stilled. Later, they would blame it on shock, on the unbalancing of their careful order, as the two remained as they were, eyes locked and lips hesitant.

The second time they kissed, however, was much less innocent and much less accidental.

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_Feel free to give me suggestions for future drabbles - I'll write them to the best of my ability. :) Reviews are love. _


	3. Victory

_Another one without editing...*smacks self in forehead* Oh well. Tehe, I can just see L being all, "Hey Misa, wanna get it on with me an Light?" and Misa being all, "Pfft, I'd be a fool not to." And, dumb as she is, I love Misa. Most people don't, but she's so supportive of Light, and she's willing to give him everything, even though he doesn;t love her, and...*rambles on*_

_Anyway, after this author's note of doom...the story itself! By the way, thanks again to my amazing reviewers - you're what keeps me going! :)_

**Oh, and DISCLAIMER: I do not have a huge house and wads of cash. Nor do I own Death Note. You may go now. As you were.**

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Light smirked down at the prone form in his arms, eyes filled with vicious delight. He allowed the smallest of laughs, cruel and mocking, to escape from his lips as he watched the terrible realization dawn in L's eyes.

"I win, L." he hissed, voice filled with barely disguised victory, tone malicious.

"I…but…I…"

Light merely laughed, unable to keep the exhilaration of victory over L back any longer. He turned slightly gazing back at the screens, and laughed even harder. In her room, Misa continued to dance around, wrapped in Light's shirt, exclaiming over her good fortune.

"Light-kun…I…"

"Yes, Ryuzaki?" Light asked, voice innocent. "Is there something you want to say?"

"I have never…never _lost_ before…"

"I told you she wasn't that smart."

"But…but _still_, no one is that _dumb_. I was sure Amane-san would turn us down…I would not have agreed to this wager if…"

Light choked on his laughter, leaning down to peck Ryuzaki on the lips. "Ah, well," he sighed. "We can always just tell her the bet's off, and neither of us will be joining her for a…threesome." He giggled again, and then smiled seductively. "But I was so hoping _we_ could practice first…just for Misa's sake, you understand…"

Suddenly, L didn't find defeat so bad.

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Suggestions are welcomed into the fold with ope arms, and reviews are love. 3


	4. Nausea

_It's been a while since I updated, but school's killing me. :) _

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The nausea was back again.

L raised his hand to his lips, fighting back the growing urge to vomit. Oh, God, it wasn't going to work. Gagging, he ran for the bathroom.

As the bitter vomit rose up in his throat, he squeezed his eyes shut, pushing the agonizing guilt to the back of his brain.

_It doesn't matter anymore, what's done is done, everything's over, justice has been served. That's what you wanted, right?_

Still, as he knelt on the cold bathroom tiles, all L could do was whimper for B, his lost friend, his favored brother, and his first love.

Two years later, the moment L Lawliet first set eyes on Light Yagami, the nausea disappeared.

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_So, basically, if that didn't make much sense, I view L as having loved B, and feeling really bad about the way everything turned out. (If you haven't read LABB, don't worry, I haven't either, but B is one of L's successors who went crazy...) XD_

_Please review!!! Reviews are love. _


	5. Natural

_A/N: Hello, my lovelies, I'm baaaaaaack. *evil grin* School is eating my head. I should be studying for AP History, reading Machiavelli's The Prince, or reading a collection of Mellville stories, but…Death Note consumes my life. Is it just me, or are my author's notes longer than my stories...?_

**Disclaimer: If I owned Death Note, well…muahahahahahahaha. But I don't.**

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As Misa flounced away, L snuck a quick look up the back of her frilly skirt, smiling slightly to himself at what he saw.

Across the room - or rather, as far as the chain would allow - Light frowned. This would not do, no, no, no, it would not do. There was only one person in this building worthy of Ryuzaki's attention, and that was him. Not that that made him gay, of course, because they were just friends. Just. Friends. No matter _how_ much he wanted to reach out and trace the contours of that exquisite face - no. The only reason he even felt this way was because he was so used to having L's attention on him all the time. It was odd to not be the center of attention, that was all, nothing strange about it. And Misa was his girlfriend, it was only natural that he not want L looking at her that way.

Only natural, nothing strange about it. Of course.

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__Well, my dears? Should I end it here, or continue on to ten? Should I do a companion to this, from L's point of view? Oh, and I'll be happy to accept any prompts and ideas you may have - tell me what you want, and it shall happen!_

_Reviews are love._


	6. Caesar

…_This story has had 203 visitors this month, but only 14 reviews. I don't know what that means, because the charts on the Traffic page compound me, but…I don't think it's good. Here's the next installment of Three In The Morning, and remember - I AM taking requests/prompts, and yes, you can insert yourself in there. Just PM me with a basic description/name you want used/general age/any special content. Otherwise, leave me a request in a review and I'll run with it._

**Disclaimer: Okay, I'm putting this one here to count for the rest of the fic, coz these are annoying as all hell. I don't own Death Note, never have, never will. I just obsess over it. On with the show!**

"Have you ever been to the theatre, Light-kun?"

The question came randomly, startlingly, from behind the dim glow of the clip on book light beside him. The chain rattled slightly as Ryuzaki shifted, the bed dipping slightly with his motions.

"What?"

"The theatre, Light-kun. I was simply wondering if you'd ever had the pleasure of going."

"Oh…no, Ryuzaki, I can't say that I have."

"Hmm. You don't know what you're missing…"

"L, are you feeling okay? Your laptop's off, and it's still quite early for you."

"Yes, Light-kun, I am fine."

"Well, you should get some sleep." He looked worriedly over at the detective, concerned that the man was getting sick - and now, now when they were so _close_ to catching him, catching Kira, catching Higuchi and ending this once and for all. L merely remained motionless, eyes distant and smile sardonic, bitter even, as he gazed far into some future that Light could only guess at, a yellowed book open in his lap. He tentatively stretched out a hand, lightly brushing the man's arm. "Ryuzaki?"

L jumped, turning to look at Light with his wide, wide eyes. "Yes, Light-kun." The small light was clicked off, and Light himself settled down to sleeps.

The snap of the book as it was closed - slammed, really - was audible throughout the room, but the old leather binding remained intact, the curving English words on the spine still spelling out, in their worn silver way, _Julius Caesar._

_Tehe. This was rather somewhat long-ish…and I'm rather happy with it. But really, there are a lot of parallels between DN and JC (think of Light as Brutus, L as Caesar, Misa as Portia, Mello and Near as Antony, and so on…no, really XD) and if you haven't read Julius Caesar, I suggest you do, because as irritating as his language may be to wade through, who doesn't lurve the Bard? (And I'm sure you can find a quick summary on Yahoo Answers, because that site is life)_

_Reviews are love - and faster updates. ;)_


	7. Practice

_I'm pretty sure I'm more motivated for this fic than school right now…XD. I just wanted to clear something quick up - though some might be related, these fics are not chronological or sequels to each other unless specifically mentioned. That being said, a review I got from the lovely Sashocirrione inspired me to write this next one - a kind of companion to 'Victory' - ya know, the threesome one. XD (This is their...'practice')I don't know if I'm ready to write lemons, but I love to read them, so if anyone wants to write one for that…be my guest! Just tell me if you do. To all the Americans out there - Happy Turkey Day!_

_Btw, I've got two others in the works, both requests, and I would still LOVE to write one for whoever asks!!! _

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The first soft shafts of morning sun easily pierced through the gauzy curtains in one of the spare bedrooms at the Taskforce Headquarters. Light smirked, lazily shifting closer to the back of the slumbering man next to him, curving his body to fit around his companion. He snaked an arm around the man's skinny waist, burying his face in the hollow at the base of a familiar head of wild black hair. With a contented sigh, he linked fingers with the detective, basking in the afterglow of one of the best nights of his life. He matched the rhythm of his breath to L's, and slowly dropped back off to sleep.

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L awoke to the strange - though not altogether uncomfortable - feeling of a warm body pressed invitingly against his back. He raised a hand to smooth his hair, starting when he realized that it was intertwined with a set of long, agile fingers. He shuddered, knowing very well what those strong hands were capable of. Memories of the night before rushed to the front of his mind, and he couldn't help the small smile that worked his ay onto his face. For two people new to the experience, he and Light had done…_exceedingly _well. With a soundless laugh, he shifted backwards, snuggling closer to the warm chest behind him. Lucky that they had chosen an unused room for this, for the Taskforce would surely be looking for them by now. Already wide awake, L toyed with the idea of rousing Light. Just then, a small moan of pleasure - Light was saying his name - sounded at his ear. L settled back down.

What would a few more minutes hurt?

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_Reviews are love. 3_


	8. Discovery

_Two updates in one day?! Egad! Tehe, this is a prompt from the awesome zchocolatebunniesrulezworld, and I hope I did it well. XD_

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It was another lazy Sunday morning - the kind that was slow to start and slower to end - and Light and L were still asleep.

Of course, both were meticulous, early risers - disregarding that fact that L seemed to be perpetually awake - so their presence in the main surveillance room was immediately missed and remarked upon. Soichiro, blinded by love for his son, insisted that it was all that "damn Ryuzaki's fault", because Light would never be late. It was that detective's evil influence that had distracted Light of late, that detective's sloppy style that had rubbed off on his perfect son. After all, _his_ Light would have never been caught dead flushed and messy, shirt untucked and cheeks flaming as he stumbled into the room every morning. That detective was the reason - Soichiro refused to even call him by name, so great was his repulsion for the bad influence the man had on his son. Light had never been so sloppy and flustered in his life. It was that freakshow, he just knew it.

So it was that Soichiro, at the end of his rope, gathered the other men and marched off into the elevator, determined to humiliate that detective for his bad habits in front of everyone. He stormed up to the door of their shared room, a latent flair for the dramatic suddenly making itself known as he threw the door open with a resounding bang. He strode into the room, the others trailing behind. After all, as awkward as it was invading the two geniuses personal space, none of them wanted to miss what was to come.

Sadly, they were wrong. Rather than the amusing spectacle of an enraged Soichiro venting his frustration at the oddball detective, the group was greeted with a sight that would haunt them forever. (Though certain among them wished they had burst in sooner, or installed a camera, or _something_.)

Soichiro was standing motionless before the bed, eyes glazed and face an odd mixture of disgust, horror, disbelief, and sheer terror. The two in question gazed guiltily up at him, Light still positioned rather…_awkwardly_ on L's…lap. L slowly raised a thumb to his lips, face carefully blank as he shifted slightly, as though to rise, forgetting the boy still settled atop him. Light moaned scandalously, throwing his head back in pleasure, and all movement in the room stopped as everyone turned to Soichiro.

His right eye twitched.

He opened his mouth as though to say something, but the words caught in his throat.

He then promptly clutched at his heart and fell over.

"Well," L said, breaking the awkward silence. "That went well. Someone call an ambulance."

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_Reviews are love. _


	9. Pretending

_This was originally just going to be another fluffy LxLight, but it turned into more of an angst ridden character study. I don't know if I've said this before, but…I actually feel bad for Misa. Poor thing…oh, and by the way, Ellie is MissEllieLawliet - sorry I couldn't write you a full drabble! XD_

_Requests and self-insertions are still being taken - I would LOVE to write something for you!_

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"Misa," he whispers into her ear, arms holding her close. "I need you to do something for me, my love."

Look at him, so manipulative. I almost pity her…

"Yes, Light?" There is such hope in her eyes. But she is not a fool, and neither am I. We both see him for the cold bastard he really is. The only difference is that she looks past it, ignores it.

"I need you to let me date other girls."

"What?" Such heartbreak. Even I couldn't have foreseen that one. Other women? Like who? He's chained to me.

"There is another girl, Ellie, that…" He is whispering in her ear now, and as much as I would like to know what they are saying, I remain where I am. He pulls her close, and her big eyes are shimmering with tears. They meet mine, just for an instant, and I know suddenly. Misa Amane is no idiot - she sees us both for what we truly our, and she knows how I feel for Light. She seems almost intelligent at this moment, and I wonder how much of an act Misa-Misa really is. Then she pulls away, all traces of melancholy gone.

"Of course, Light!" She beams, and I can find no trace of the girl I saw a moment ago. There is only this happy, mindless drone. Perhaps she is better that way, not having to think about anything, convinced that Light loves her. Perhaps I would be better that way…

Were I not L, and were he not Kira…perhaps I would be where she is now, pretending, pretending, pretending. But then again, every time I glare at him, hit him, curse him, am I not doing the same?

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__Reviews are love._


	10. Understanding

_This is another request, from the fan-tabulous Emo-Nerdy-Insane-Writer, and I really hope it came out the way you wanted! I thought it was funny, but then again, I think everything's funny…XD This one's my longest drabble yet!!!_

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Ryuk was bored.

Of course, this was not the first time he had been so, nor would it be the last. It just simply _was_. That, of course, was what gave him the idea to visit his favorite little psychopath. All of this waiting was killing him, and the kid never had to know - it wasn't like he could see him or anything.

So it was that the shinigami felt himself floating - flying? Even he couldn't say - down to Taskforce Headquarters, to see if Light-o had been released, and maybe if there were any apples lying around. Now, don't get him wrong, he didn't exactly _care_ what was happening to the kid - if there was one thing Ryuk was good at, it was not caring - but he did find the boy interesting, and…well. He did so love interesting.

He faded through the walls with ease, almost affectionately ruffling that idiot Matsuda's hair as he drifted past. The bewildered detective half-lifted a hesitant hand to his head, and Ryuk grinned. If he was going to be attached to any of the men in this room, he would rather it be someone he could have fun watching, rather than any of those other stick-up-the-ass fuddy duddies. But then again, that Mogi was probably a complete freak at home…

Still trying to get the image of Kanzo Mogi dressed in a leather and garter outfit out of his mind, Ryuk kept going, searching for Light, and, inevitably, the world's greatest detective. He floated through countless empty rooms, each time he encountered an unused bed, a bare bookcase, wondering just why they had built so many rooms when they obviously weren't being used. The few inhabited rooms he did find, however, were also unoccupied. What had that devious detective done with Light?

Finally, he heard something that sounded promising. Two voices, male by the sound of them, and from what he could hear one of them was yelling at the other. He drifted upwards, searching for the source, and emerged right in the center of a bed in one of the empty rooms.

Unfortunately for Ryuk, said bed was occupied.

Light and L were rolling around together, and every time they passed through him, he was struck by a strange sort of tingling, the kind that was not altogether unpleasant, though neither was it particularly amazing. They seemed to be fighting, Light scraping his nails down L's back, the other man biting and nipping at his neck. A chain of some kind was tangled around them, their legs were entwined. Ryuk thought that such a position must be terribly uncomfortable, yet the two men did not seem to be in a hurry to conclude their fight.

Light's face was red with color as he began to tug at L's shirt, and Ryuk raised a metaphorical eyebrow. He had never seen such a battle as this, and could not understand why both of them felt the need to remove various articles of their clothing. In fact, he did not understand this at all. And that tingling was really distracting, though not enough to make him want to move. He just continued to watch the scene play out - the fight for dominance, eventually won by L, the red faces and sweaty bodies, and then, in the end, the curious joining of two people together in what he suddenly realized, in one pure, tingling moment of clarity, was not a fight, but instead some mysterious act he might never understand.

Of course, Ryuk resolved to _make_ himself understand, and his visits became almost daily, always watching from the same place. Humans were so interesting - and that tingling feeling wasn't bad either.

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__Reviews are love._


	11. Voyeurism

_I has 43 reviews! *happy dance* Thank you all soooo much! I'm almost done another one in which L and Light have a sleepover at the Yagami's, but that one's like three pages, so do you guys think I should just put it in here, or post it separately? While I have your attention - I'm thinking of doing a drabble series with L's heirs, Matt, Mello, and Near, all pairings and ratings. Would you guys be interested in something like that? Here's an update to tide you over till I have more time...:)_

_Requests accepted, feel free to make it a story in which you are an OC, reviews are love._

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Voyeurism.

Perhaps some would call what L was doing such a thing, but to him it just seemed like such a dirty word. Disgusting, suggestive of some kind of sick pervert, alone in a dark room - exactly the kind of man Misa had pegged him as.

This was different, though. Watching Light undress right in front of him, watching him change and even, occasionally, if he was lucky, watching him shower - that wasn't _voyeurism_, that was merely observing a suspect.

And it wasn't like Light didn't know he was watching - the boy made every change, every shower, every break - a show.

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__Tehe. L likes to watch Light, Light likes to strip for L. Reviews=love and updates. XD_


	12. Illogical

_I'm back again! There'll probably only be a few more sporadic updates for a while, as the radio/tv station at my school has a telethon next Friday, and I'm on the Tech Crew for it, so we're all busting our butts. Next week, I'll be at the school from 7 am to 9 pm. *dies* Anyhoot! Enjoy!_

_BTW, the sleepover story will be posted shortly. Keep your eyes out for it!_

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Those who have met him will say that L, the world's greatest three detectives, is anything but the picture of respectability.

He is childish, messy, and sloppy. His hair, no matter how soft or silky, is wild and untamable, and there are times when he can go days without washing it. His posture is horrible, and I swear to whatever Gods there may be that he will give himself a hunchback one day if he isn't careful.

He eats sweets like a starving man, and almost never sleeps. He constantly tastes of strawberries and chocolate, sweetness and candy, and I would not be surprised if he sweated sugar. And yet all of that sweet goodness does nothing for his disposition. He hates losing, and can sulk for days on end. He sleeps very few times a week, and almost never while I am awake to see it. Even if I am, I can only hold his warm body close to my chest for so long before he wakes up and pulls away, ready to begin a new day.

He is temperamental, and stubborn, and still firmly believes I am Kira, no matter what I say or do. Sometimes, I almost think I hate him. But then he does something kind and sweet and completely unexpected, and I am falling all over again. Who else would be able to keep up with me?

Besides, he is truly beautiful when he smiles.

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__Reviews are love._


	13. Notice

_AN: Sorry for the lack of updates! I've been really busy, and life is just crashing down around me! But anyways, please, feel free to make requests - I need inspiration! Or else you'll just keep getting slightly angsty mini-drabbles!_

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Do you think I am stupid, Light-kun?

Do you think I do not see the wistful smiles, the longing glances, and the hesitant half-touches you never actually have the courage to bestow?

I am not as stupid as you would like to believe.

But I will not give in. I will never let you know I see you, never let you notice my own half formed gestures. To fall into your arms would be death at the hands of an angel, but it is a death I cannot afford.

Oh, to be suffocated sweetly by your love.

But I am L. I am the world's greatest detective - the world's _three_ greatest detectives - and I am one of the last hopes for mankind. I am the only thing standing in Kira's - _your_ - way. And to sacrifice the world to you, merely for a few short years of love, to sacrifice my morals and my purpose…I would never ask it of you. Please don't ask it of me.

You are not the first I have loved, Light-kun. Do not think I idolize you as the only one to capture my heart. But, as before, I seem to have fallen hopelessly for a psychotic genius killers, and, as before, I will remain objective.

You are not the first Light-kun, but, God willing, you are the last.

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_Review and request. XD_


	14. Safe

_Gaaah! Sorry for the lack of updates!!! But, the Telethon I crewed made thirty-two thousand dollars! So, it was all for a good cause! And then I got really sick, and I battled through it to bring you a story…about being sick. XD Don't worry, you're suggestions are coming soon! Keep sending requests!_

Light retched, bent over the toilet bowl in sheer agony. His head was pounding, throat raw, limbs heavy, and stomach twisted. He had never felt so miserable in his life.

Arms shaking, he pushed himself away from the porcelain, slowly reaching up to pull the handle, sweating and feverish. Kira, Misa, and a perfect world were far from his mind, his only reality the cool blue tiles of the bathroom and the smooth white of the toilet, his only hope to make it through to the morning without any further incidents.

His stomach wrenched again, and he followed it forward, gagging again. Oh, God, someone help him, _please_.

As if in answer to his prayer, a pair of long, cool hands grabbed hold of him, pulling him back against a warm chest. Pale, spidery fingers pressed a moist washcloth against his forehead, another dabbing at the corners of his mouth. Light sighed, contentment and lethargy washing over him.

He was safe now.

_Reviews are love, requests are updates._


	15. Minefield

…_I don't even know. Don't judge me._

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Shockingly enough, it was Mogi who put up the Christmas decorations.

Honestly, though, who would have guessed that he was a closet Christmas crusader? In his own words, he was 'out to bring Christmas joy and laughter to everyone' - even if it meant hanging tinsel and mistletoe in a surveillance room full of straight (well, presumably straight…fine, Aizawa and Soichiro, at least…okay, maybe just Soichiro…stop questioning me!) men.

This unexpected and bizarre turn of events, for once not the fault of Matsuda (hooray! The black haired man danced a dance of pathetic celebration.) was never remarked upon. Mogi, after all, could crush any one of them with little trouble, his sheer size overwhelming any creative techniques they might choose to throw at him. Thus began a week of mishaps, a week of paranoia, and a week of terror.

Everywhere, the men of the Task Force were vigilant, seeking out the hidden mistletoe wherever it might be concealed. They hesitated before doorways, bolted down hallways, and made it a particular point to stay moving targets. But still, that insidious, magically multiplying symbol of awkward situations and questions better left unasked, popped up any time it would be most inconvenient.

Light and L fared the worst out of all of the men, however. For every awkward kiss undergone, they suffered through five more, the chain binding them serving as an indomitable enemy in their quest for an ordinary, kiss-free day.

Every doorway they tried to cross, every hallway they tried to navigate, all of them turned into a living minefield, and soon enough the other men began to wonder - because it was only natural, really, that they watch everything from the surveillance room - if the kisses were not, in fact, contrived by one or the other. After all, Light was not quite so clumsy as to stumble over nothing, and everyone knew L had never spasmodically twitched and yanked the chain backward before.

But then again, who were they to talk?

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…_just…yeah. You know the drill._


	16. Tragedy

_This is for the awesome ChipsAhoyPup, my amazing faithful reviewer. I got the request in November...I'm so sorry it took this long! It's loosely based on Romeo and Juliet, the scene where Romeo's best friend - Mercutio - is murdered and Romeo kills Tibault, the murderer. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend watching the 60's version of the movie. Romeo is hawt. XD Oh, and shamless plugging: Go read my new fic, 'Human'. It's short. You'll like it. Maybe. _

_**BTW - This fic is full of spoilers. Not just this drabble, but the entire FIC. **_

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He was only my sort-of friend. Not someone who's death you get devastated over, but perhaps you attend the funeral - if you have nothing better to do, of course. In fact, he was more my mortal enemy. I was bent on destroying him.

Or...that's how it was supposed to have been. I wasn't supposed to connect with him, to _love_ him the way I did. Perhaps, if he had lived, I could have changed for him, bettered myself. But he did not, so I did not, and all of those possibilities fell away into the endless What If.

She didn't even kill him for a good reason. I mean, honestly, Misa? Come on. The girl is a fake, an empty plastic doll. She is only fit to be used, and even then she leaves a sour taste, like milk gone slightly off - fine, alluring almost, until you take that first sickly sweet sip. She claims she did it by accident, too - wasted the life of my forever love, thinking he was setting his sights on her favorite dolly. And like the jealous child she really is, she scrawled his perfect name on those smooth pages, and then he was gone, and she remained, as grotesque as ever, polluting the world with her very presence.

It could not be tolerated.

My best friend lay cold, his last moments an accusation against me, a curse I can still hear ringing in my ears. But neither I nor the terrible voice in the back of my mind were responsible, and for once we were united - defeating L, loving L, being with L - all of that should have been _ours_.

So I hunted her down, the idiot ridiculously easy to find, and I stood before her hunched form, and I laughed as I took my revenge. There are other ways to kill a shinigami, ways different than those that abomination informed Misa of, and I laughed as she died beneath me, reduced to nothing more than a pile of dust.

But even that was not enough.

Without my Juliet, my Mercutio, my rising action and final climax, I will never have my happy ending. I will be just another tragedy.

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_Please review and request. XD_


	17. Bells

_Sorry this is so short, but I kind of liked it how it was. XD Merry Xmas Eve - celebrating or not! Oh, and...go read 'Human'! It's really short, and I want to know what you think_!

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Somewhere, far away in the endless stretch of stars and sky, bells were ringing.

He could hear them, knew for a fact that with each peal, each deep, resonant toll, the sound grew nearer and nearer, until finally they would overtake him, and drown him in waves of discordant harmony. And somehow, he was not afraid. What would happen would happen, and what would not would not.

Take, for example, these past few weeks. What had seemed to be nothing more than the casual indifference of someone forced to work alongside a person they found intriguing had blossomed into the intense but quiet longing of unrequited love. Every time he met those pale brown eyes, he saw it hidden there, lurking amongst bitterness and anger, rage and revenge. Perhaps the game might have gone on longer, had that love never emerged. Perhaps, he would have found his own way to destroy his greatest rival, rather than taking the easy way out and fruitlessly attempting to purge himself of the feelings.

Had they been anyone else, he would have told him he loved him back. He would have reached out and wrapped his arms around that perfect waist, and he would have kissed those perfect lips as hungrily and tenderly as humanly possible.

But they weren't, and as the bells tolled still louder, the two remained separated, torn apart by a translucent barrier of morals and justice and pain.

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_Reviews=updates, and requests are still being taken. But seriously, please review. I get 400 hits, 40 adds to fave lists...and 3 reviews. _


	18. Dying

_A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to get my bippy in gear and post this! This one is another request, from the awesomely amazing ChipsAhoyPup, one of the best reviewers ever! XD Anywhoot, this got waaaaay way longer than I intended, and I would've posted it separately, but it was a request. The tone is a little dark, but meh. It's Light death, anime version. Does anyone else think his anime death is a lot more dignified than his death in the manga?_

_Wow, A/N of doom. One more thing - would anyone be interested in a collection of MattxMello, MattxNear, MelloxNear, MattxMelloxNear fics? Basically, one shots about them, in any time and place, AU, alternate ending, or whatever? Lemme know!_

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The bullet hit hard. So, so, _so _painfully hard. They slammed into him, ripping through, and taking pieces of him away, pieces he never noticed he had, and rendering him broken, shattered, empty.

No. Not true. He barely felt the bullets. They were nothing now. He had lost, and contrary to popular belief, Light Yagami was capable of accepting defeat at the bitter end. No, it wasn't the bullets that had affected him so, the bullets that were the one, terrible, awful thing that Matsuda did right. No. It was something else, some_one_ else, and if only he could remember, if only the edges of his vision weren't turning dark and blurry and hazy and painful and what _was_ it that was bothering him so? Oh. The bullets again, always hurting even when he ignored them. It was for the best. He would find a quiet place to die, and maybe, if he was lucky, Ryuk would write his name down and give him an end he knew he didn't deserve.

Oh, God, it hurt. It hurt so damn _much_. He never would've expected dying to hurt like this, and for one terrible moment almost thought that he had let the criminals off easy, and that maybe, just maybe, his plan was not infallible after all and if he could be wrong in one thing, he could be wrong in others. But he banished such thoughts quickly, for he did not have much time left and it was too clichéd and cold and just painful for him to repent at the end, feel a regret he could not, and be crushed by his fallen ideals and drown in the blood that stained his hands.

There. That looked like as good a place as any, and he honestly didn't think he could go much farther. He sank down, one hand clutching his heart. Why did it hurt like this? He hadn't even been shot there, what was wrong with his heart? A pair of feet shuffled into view, and he let out a bitter, choking laugh. A passerby, come to witness a God's destruction, his final, painful, _mortal_ end, and look, he wasn't even wearing shoes.

He used to know someone who never wore shoes. Someone as sweet as the sugar he ate and as bizarre as he seemed. Someone funny and witty and smart, but always, always, always invariably accusing. He remembered dark eyes, staring down into his soul as he bared it and writhed and moaned and laid everything before them, and still they were mistrustful, accusing. He remembered secret fantasies of Kira and his Queen, a queen who wasn't actually a queen at all, but an enemy turned lover, wholly devoted to the cause and the King. He looked up further, tracing baggy jeans and slim hips, hips he used to know better than his own. A white shirt, deceptively large, concealing a lightly toned chest and safe arms, the only true comfort he'd ever known…and even then it wasn't true at all, none of it was, it was all just a game to see who could break the other first, until it became real and terrible and consumed them both from their nonexistent hearts outward.

He spasmed, and felt his left side go numb. The watcher made no move to help him, and he made no call for help. He deserved this, he supposed resignedly. He had hurt the one of his life, sent him to his death with the cruelest of smiles, and now he couldn't even remember his name. What was his name? he wanted to know, needed to know, but knew that no matter what he came up with, what he thought, it would all just be another pointless, meaningless lie.

He shook, the terrible finality of death washing over him, loosing all of his muscles. He had minutes left. The watcher remained, and as he sought the familiar face, he was greeted with nothing more than a headless body, the rest obscured by shadows and a wild mop of dark, dark, dark ebony hair. Hair that was soft and fine, hair that he loved to let his hands get lost in, fingers twining themselves about those silky strands. Well did he remember stroking a pale cheek, up up and up into that black thicket and watching those dark, accusing eyes slip close in one moment of pure, unrestrained, quiet bliss, the closest to trust either of them would give and receive. Then to lean in a press the lightest of kisses on those soft, chapped lips and speak his love as words could not. What times those were, mysterious and deadly and yet somehow soft and free as any in all the worlds over.

If only he could remember his faceless lover's name, if indeed he ever knew it at all. He looked again to the watcher for help, eyes searching the shadowed face for any sign of humanity, any sign that the person was something more than the fractured construction of a mind already more than broken and pushed far beyond its meager limits. He saw nothing, only darkness and shadows so contrary to the glowing white of the apparitions shirt, to the shaft of sunlight that pierced suddenly through some long forgotten hole in the wall. No, he would find no aid there. Merely studied indifference, though for all he knew the watcher could be laughing, crying, sneering, _something, _all out of sight, out of reach, of the boy-man slowly dying on the stairs above him.

He heard them suddenly, like a great clamor all around him, and knew it was all over. He began to have a seizure, shifting slightly to escape the fist crushing his heart in an iron grip. It hurt. Oh, Gods, how it hurt. He reached a hand out to the silent observer, a wordless cry for help or hindrance, hate or love, something, anything, anything as long as it wasn't the pain spreading throughout his veins like wildfire. All he wanted, all he needed, was one final glimpse of those obsidian eyes, the familiar hair, the slight quirk of the lips his dearest one affected when amused. He knew he would get nothing from the one before him, but he was Light Yagami, and God dammit, he was not one to go down without trying.

But, as he had been doomed to from the start, he failed, and with one final, weighty sigh, the God of the New World was no more. The dark haired man who had watched his final moments leaned forward, one thumb stealing up between his soft, chapped lips, the other ghosting over the dead boys face, closing his glassy eyes. He leaned forward, already hunched over as it was, and brushed his lips lightly over the still, cold, lifeless ones beneath him once, twice, three times in a touch so feather light it wasn't even there, whispering one final word before dissipating into the light, swirling away in a translucent whirl of dust forevermore.

"_Lawliet." _It echoed over the dead boys lips, a dry whisper spoken in dulcet tones, in worlds of love and infinite tenderness.

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Whoa. That was waaaaaay long. For a drabble, I mean. More like a one-shot. XD

_New rule. 3 reviews equals update. XD_


	19. Relief

_AN: Whoa, you guys rock my socks! As a treat, in addition to the usual drabble, I included a special bonus that was too short to post alone! Enjoy - and remember, reviews get you rewards!_

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In one of the many spare rooms of the investigation building, one of the seemingly useless and superfluous, sparsely furnished rooms of the task force headquarters, there stood a piano. And once a week, always on a Thursday afternoon, always at two-thirty one precisely, the world's top three detectives sat down before it. He let his fingers glide smoothly over the ivory keys, and for exactly one hour and thirteen minutes, he played.

He played everything and anything, and for that one hour and thirteen minutes, he was free. Free of the burden of justice and all of its trappings, from the cold emotionless void that being L and seeing so much death and destruction brought on. He played of love and hate, of joy and sorrow, and as his long fingers danced over the keys, he dreamed of all the things he could never have, and that was enough.

But then he chained himself to Light Yagami, and to allow the boy to see him at his most vulnerable was not an option. Instead, he held all of it in, all of the whirlwind emotions he kept hidden inside his mind, all of the pointless dreaming, all of the horror that came with being a detective, all of it, and slowly, slowly, he found himself seeking escape in other ways.

In the carefully guarded brush of two hands, the hesitant meeting of lips and tongues and teeth. Always, he remained blank, but every act brought relief, provided an outlet for the torrent of things that Lawliet the man felt that L the mind, L the detective, must hide away. And even then, when Lawliet the man fell and fell hard for Light the innocent, sweet, beautiful boy, L the detective knew that falling hurt when there was no one there to catch you, and simply returned to his secret, stolen moments at the piano.

------------------------------------------BONUS---------------------------------------

This investigation is many things, but it is not a love story.

It is a tale of intrigue and deceit, of the world's greatest criminal and the world's greatest detective, of an otherworldly notebook and a god of death. It is the saga of L and Kira, of good and evil, a battle of wits and genius. It is not a tale of passion and love, of two icy hearts melting into one, of a transcendent emotion and burning desire, nor is it the saga of Lawliet and Light, of compromise and truth.

No. this investigation is many things, but it is not a love story.

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_Again - 3 reviews = update. _


	20. Fabulous

_Woot! Number 20! How long do you guys want this to be? PS - Special thanks to all of my reviewers...I looooooves you! Keep the requests coming!_

_Just a fun little excersise with dialogue I decided to experiment with...and post here. XD Poor L...bet he looks even more like smex on legs after Light's done though._

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"Please?"

"No."

"Pleeeeeeeease?"

"_NO."_

"I'll give you caaaaaaake."

"...fine."

"Okay! Now, sit down over there - no, not like that, idiot. Normally."

"But, Light-kun, this is normal...for me."

"Stop smirking! Jackass. Feet on the floor. Now _don't. Move. _I'll be back - I have to get my staightener, and some facial cream, foundation, of course, or maybe just concealer? You have such creamy skin, I don't know...oh! A little bit of brown liner would do wonders for your eyes...and a change of clothes, of course, definately something fitted and sleek..."

"I am regretting this already."

"Ryuzaki, don't _sigh_ like that. You'll be so happy when you see how jumpable I'm going to make you look...after all, you're always claiming that you can't resist _me_, right? Imagine if I was as eager to lurk around corners and molest _you._"

"Do what you must. But Light-kun...I expect cake _and_ one of your 'special favors' later."

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_XD Can anyone else see Light as a high-maintenance, prissy little housewifey type? _

_Same deal as before - three reviews gets you more updates. _


	21. Perfect

_A/N: Oh my Lanta! I haven't updated in soooo long. Is it any use claiming real life and school and midterms came crashing down around me? XD Anyhoot, here's a lil one to tide you over until the weekend…when I'll hopefully have some time._

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L had never put much stock in God, or in any other Heavenly deity that may or may not be watching him from above. After all, he had seen many horrific things in his short life, and grown fully accustomed to death. It was not strange, then, that he did not pray with the fervency of the truly devout.

But that is not to say he did not recognize the fact that gods existed. Not omnipotent gods, no, but human ones - people so perfect, so beautiful, so intelligent and wonderful and amazing that they could not be anything other than gods, the embodiment of everything desirable, everything worth being. They were the people who, no matter how truly twisted they were on the inside, drew others to them with an inexorable force, who masked it all with brilliant smiles and stunning good looks and tender touches that left trails of burning fire and need and want in their wake.

No, L did not doubt the existence of gods. He was chained to one, after all.

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_3 reviews = love. Love=update. _


	22. Fruit

_A/N: This one just kinda came to me as I was sitting down to check my email...I don't even know. The only things I do know are that a) lemons and lemony things are harder to write than they seem, b) Light luring L into the bedroom through fruit has potential to be hot, and c) I need more requests because I'm running out of ideas. XD So...enjoy!_

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Light gasped as his lips slowly caressed the plump, perfect skin, slowly drawing it into his mouth with a sensuous sigh. He chewed, eyes fluttering closed as he was lost in a haze of perfection.

He extended his hand, grabbing another of the sweet fruit, pausing speculatively before rolling it in sugar. He heard the softest intake of breath from his right, and grinned privately to himself. _Hook, line, and sinker._

Slowly, tantalizingly, he raised the confection to his mouth, tongue darting out to lick it experimentally. Evidentially finding it to his satisfaction, he drew it halfway into his mouth, lips encasing the small red dessert. He bit down, throwing his head back and releasing a wanton moan at the sugary sweet explosion.

Red juice made its way down his chin, and he raised a hand to wipe it off, sucking the excess from his long fingers, allowing the dampened digits to trail down is chest in a sensual mockery of drying them. They traveled over the hard planes of his chest, followed by a hungry pair of dark eyes, lower and lower, slowly, temptingly, and it did not seem that they would ever stop. Light moaned again, and reached for another fruit.

A pale hand reached out and stopped him, a pair of deceivingly thin arms caging him in his chair. "Light-kun will kindly stop lavishing his attentions on such undeserving fruits."

"But, Ryuuzaki, they're so _good_, I - "

L growled - actually _growled_. "If Light-kun enjoys strawberries so much, he may eat them later. Otherwise, _I _will be the only one consuming sweet things for the next few hours. Now, Light-kun, you have caused me a problem. Please accompany me to our room, and there you may aid me in fixing it."

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_...Yeah L, way to show him who's boss. Seme!L is sexy..._

_As always 3 reviews = Update_


	23. Attention

_A/N: I am soooo sosososososososo sorry it's taken me so long to update again! School's just...it's murdering me. But this one, actually, is based off of me and my best guy friend, who I maybe have a thing for. We fight and argue and then we're best friends again...am I the only person that happens to? And while I'm being creepy and questioning you: Where are you guys from? I'm in the USA, myself. Are you guys or girls? I'm a girl. Any prompts? I need ideas. XD Feel free to tell me in a review or PM or not at all. :)_

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They were fighting again.

And even as Light dodged a well aimed kick, he knew that whether or not he was the winner was inconsequential. He would end up hurt either way.

Perhaps he did instigate things. He was aware of his tendency towards the subtle, mean little digs that so irritated the detective, and of course his tendency towards violence. But instigated or not, he couldn't deny that the other man's catty, sometimes childish, responses tore into him in a way that no one else ever had. Sometimes, it took all he had not to cry - especially when he got kicked in the face.

But as Light swung a heavy fist towards Ryuzakki's face, and as he gazed into those beloved eyes, and as he could almost _see_ the Kira percentage going up, he was glad. Glad for the pain and the hurt and the passion and all of it.

_If I don't hurt you, you won't pay attention to me. I'm sorry. _

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_ 4 Reviews = Update. _


	24. Nightmare

_A/N: Not a fan of this one, but meh. I wanted to update. Thank you guys so much for the reviews! They made being stuck home with a cold almst worth it! :)_

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__The girl's sad, dead eyes looked out at him hungrily. Her long, tangled black hair swung forward as she extended one half rotted hand towards him, dark, dark blood dripping sluggishly to the floor._

"_Lawli…come play. Play with me, Lawli…come play.." she called, in her high, sickly sweet voice. "Come and play.."_

L shot up in bed, shaking all over and heart racing. The faces of those he had not been in time to save haunted his dreams, and always, always he was awoken drenched in sweat and screaming. Beside him, a warm figure stirred, rolling over and gazing at him with sleepy eyes.

"…L?"

The detective's face was buried in his knees, and he rocked back and forth like a frightened child. It took Light a moment to realize the man was desperately trying to hold in sobs, and his face softened imperceptibly. (_A weakness…_a voice in the back of his mind whispered before it was quickly pushed away.)

"L." Light shifted closer, wrapping L's shaking body in his arms. "L. I'm here."

They sat like that for the rest of the night, Light holding L and L holding Light, as though to let go would be the end of them. Through it all was only the same broken whisper - _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, _though neither knew if it was for those who were dead and gone, or for those whose lives were yet to be destroyed.

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_ I think you know what goes here by now. And hey - any good song recommendations? I need new music on my iPod. :)_


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